LONDON – British media regulator Ofcom is launching an investigation into Jeremy Clarkson’s onscreen tirade against striking public service workers, in which the controversial presenter said they should be taken out and “executed in front of their families.”

Ofcom, has had 763 complaints about the presenter’s appearance on the BBC’s The One Show, in addition to more than 32,000 complaints received by the BBC.

“Ofcom has taken the decision to investigate comments made by Jeremy Clarkson on BBC1’s The One Show. We will make the outcome of the investigation known in due course,” Ofcom said.

Thus far the BBC has issued an on-screen apology after the interview, and compelled its star presenter to also apologize.

But BBC bosses have also defended Clarkson, with the BBC director general Mark Thompson telling a Parliamentary committee last week that Clarkson was not to blame and that the comments were “entirely in jest and not to be taken seriously.”